Addison's Flu
by Mary Rose
Summary: Addison has the flu. Derek comes to see her.
1. Chapter 1

So, I have this thing about giving the flu to my favorite female character in any given fandom and now it is Addison's turn. Isn't she lucky? Lol But seriously, it makes for some good hurt comfort when I have the male character, I ship my favorite with show up and all that. I also have an idea for a longer story with the same premise, only it isn't the flu but something more serious. Anyone got any ideas of a disease I could give Addison that would be life threatening but since I don't want to kill her; I just need Derek to notice something different and wake the fuck up and realize he belongs with her. Lol I could do the research on my own or if you're willing, pick your brain. Lol Let me know in a review or PM. Even if you don't have a disease idea, please let me know what you think about this story.

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"I won't be in today. I don't know when I'll be back," Addison croaked on the phone. "I think it's the flu." She paused to listen to the sympathy and well wishes for healing. "Thank you. I hope I get better soon too. Thank you." Then she hung up.

"Oh shit!" Staggering up from her bed in her hotel room she barely made it across to the bathroom. This was not made any easier because all the while she was trying to keep her balance against the dizziness.

Luckily, she made it and collapsed by the toilet and proceeded to vomit up everything she had ever eaten in her whole life. Or at least, so it seemed to Addison.

But finally, she was spent. Not wanting to take a chance on fainting, Addison decided to crawl across the room back to bed.

Even so it was iffy there for a while. But she did make it there, albeit a lot slower than she had made it to the bathroom. But once there, she did manage to haul herself up to the bed and then proceeded to curl up under the covers. That's where she wanted to be right now.

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"Where's Addison? I need a consult." Derek had been trying to find Addison for awhile and had finally stopped at Richard's office. He figured that if anyone would know where she was it would be Richard.

"She's out with the flu, I think she said it was."

"Oh." And that was all that could be said right now.

"We do have other ob-gyns on staff. You can get a consult from one of them."

"Yes. Right. Well, I'll see you."

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Derek stood in the lobby of the Archfield for the longest time. He had no idea why he was here. He hadn't even wanted Addison in Seattle in the first place so what did he care if she was sick? And yet, here he was.

Finally, he went over to the front desk.

"May I help you sir?"

"Yes. I know there is an Addison Montgomery-Shepherd registered here. I'd like to check up on her. I believe she's sick. I'm her husband, Derek Shepherd."

"I'd need to see some I.D. for proof."

"Of course." He took out his license and for good measure his hospital I.D.

"Very good, sir. I will just ring her room."

"No! I mean, if she's sick I don't want to bother her. I just want to go in there and doctor her if she needs it."

"All right, sir. I'll take you up. Let me just get someone to cover for me."

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Addison was as miserable as she could be. That was enough, she thought. Apparently, the universe thought otherwise because she was dimly aware of her hotel room door opening.

"If you're here to murder me, I'm already sick so I'm probably not going to live that long anyway, so you might as well leave and go find somebody else to murder."

"As tempting as that is, that's not actually why I'm here."

"Derek! What are you doing here?"

"I needed a consult and you weren't at the hospital."

"So, you came to get one from me while I'm sick. That's low even for you."

Derek turned to the front desk guy. "I've got it from here." The man left.

Derek walked over to Addison's bedside. "I'm not here for a consult. I got one from one of the other ob-gyns on staff."

"All right. Why are you here then?"

It was a great question. The problem was he didn't know.

"I'm not actually sure why I'm here."

Addison stared at him. "That makes perfect sense." She hoped the sarcasm was obvious.

"All right, Addison, all right. I'll go if you want me to." Derek was beginning to wonder if this had been a good idea, after all.

"I didn't say I wanted you to leave. I'm just wondering why you're here. It's not as if you give a damn about me or whether I live or die, after all."

"God, you are so bitchy when you're sick. Even more than you usually are."

"You know Derek, you don't have to stay here and insult me. You can go if you want to."

That was true. He could go if he wanted to. The problem was that he wasn't sure he wanted to. Even worse, he wasn't sure why he wasn't sure.

She was still lying on the bed staring at him. It was making him uncomfortable. To buy time, he decided to go into doctor mode and do doctorly things.

"You got a doctor's bag around here?"

"Of course, I have a doctor's bag around here. I'm a doctor, aren't I?"

"Yes, well, where is it?"

"In the top drawer of the bureau."

Derek went and got it.

"Derek, what are you doing?"

"I'm doctoring you. Now shut up and let me do it."

She was stunned speechless by what he had said and so she just lay there and let him examine her. After listening to her heart, taking her temperature, blood pressure and other things doctors did while examining a patient he had a diagnosis.

'You have the flu."

"I know that."

"Why didn't you get a flu shot?"

"I had other things on my mind. It didn't seem important enough to do. I mean, sure the flu can kill but I'm not in one of the groups at risk for that. Anyway, you can still get the flu, even with the shot."

"It would be a milder case, though."

"Yes, well, that would have been great since I'm miserable enough to wish I was dead, but not miserable enough to die. Serves me right I'm sure you're thinking."

Derek laughed. "No. I don't want you to die."

"Well, that's big of you. I'll take it though."

"Great. Well, I guess I should get going."

"No. Not before you tell me why you came here. The real reason."

"I don't know."

"Are you sure about that?"

"No."

"That's what I thought. Look, you already admitted you didn't want me to die. It's not out of the realm of possibility, therefore, that you might still care about me. Maybe even still love me."

"I hardly think that's the case."

"Then why come all the way to my hotel room just to check on me?"

"I already told you I don't know."

"Or maybe you do and just don't want to admit it to yourself or me."

"Addison." Now he knew for sure that it had been a mistake to come here.

"Derek, you come into my place uninvited and start doctoring me as if you care. This is in direct contrast to how you have been treating me all the time since I arrived here. I don't think it's unreasonable of me to wonder what the fuck is up?"

"Except you're acting like you already know.,"

"Maybe I do but maybe I'm wrong. I'm sick and that puts me at a distinct disadvantage. I think you should go. You did what you came here to do."

"Fine. I'll go. I hope you get better soon. I really mean that."

"Right."

He was almost at the door when he stopped. Screw it. Maybe she was right after all. "All right. Maybe you are right about what I came here for. But I'm just not ready to admit it to either myself or you. Could I have some time and when you are over this we can talk?"

Addison nodded. "Sure thing, Derek."

"Good. Now take care of yourself. On second thought. Maybe I'd better stop by and make sure. Is that all right?"

"Yes. I'll call the front desk and leave word to just escort you up."

"Thank you. I'll be going now."

And he left but not without leaving Addison with a sense of hope.

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Originally, I was planning on this being a one shot, but I've been thinking of writing a second chapter where they do talk. Anyone interested in reading that? If so, it would be my first multi chapter flu story in any fandom. The others were all one shots. Let me know. Thank you.

"


	2. Chapter 2

Derek waited nervously for Addison. He was seated at a table in one of Seattle's best restaurants. He'd made the reservation and then arrived early. But he had ordered a bottle of Addison's favorite wine and so he supposed the time spent waiting for her had gone to a good cause.

Where was she? Was she going to show up? Now he knew how she had often felt back in New York. Was she doing it deliberately in order to give him a taste of his own medicine? But no. She wasn't that petty.

No, here she was. He stood up. You're looking much better. Not so pale. It's good to see color in your face."

"Yes, well, you try throwing up everything you've ever eaten in your whole life and then we'll talk."

"That bad."

"It was the flu. Not only couldn't I get warm no matter what I tried I had the worst headache I've ever had. It was like my head was going to explode and I tell you Derek, that would have been welcome."

Derek couldn't help but smile. Not at her misery but just at the dramatic way she had of describing the flu. He had no doubt she had been as sick and miserable as she had described because he had seen her through the illness but there was still something endearing about it.

"Well, why don't you sit down?' She did. The waiter then brought over menus. For a time, they were occupied in deciding what they wanted. Derek ended up getting a New York strip steak and Addison got sea bass.

But then they were done ordering and things were going to have to be said.

"You ordered my favorite wine. You remembered."

"Yes, I guess I did. But we're not here to make small talk, are we Addie?"

She sighed. "No, I guess we're not. Although, "I'm glad there is still something you remember about me. The fact that you still remember and know me must count for something. You still know me." She smiled at him.

'I remember a lot about you, actually. Kind of hard not to, after all this time. I think that's the problem. I certainly will never forget you naked in our bed with Mark's hands all over you."

"That was the worst mistake I've ever made in my life."

"I'm not going to argue with you there. I agree."

"Do you want to know why I did it?"

'Marriage and fidelity got boring."

"Derek!"

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"You agreed to talk. I know we have to, but could you maybe take it easy with the cheap shots?"

"I'll try."

"Thank you. I know I deserve them, but I really don't think they're going to help anything at this point."

"You're probably right."

"I know I am."

"Anyway, back to the subject at hand."

But just then their food came and so they had to wait for privacy.

"I think you were about to tell me why you slept with Mark."

"Yes. I was. It wasn't because I loved him, that's for sure."

"You tried to."

'I did. You had left. I didn't want to face the fact that I had thrown my life away for a cheap one-night stand. So, I tried the relationship thing out with Mark. It didn't work. He's not wired for monogamy."

Derek nodded. "That's for sure. But I get it. I did the same thing with Meredith. It was only supposed to be a one-night stand. That's all she was interested in. I pursued her. "

"I didn't know that."

"Now you do."

'But I was about to tell you why I slept with Mark."

"Go on."

"It was because I was lonely. You had been absent and indifferent for awhile and I couldn't seem to get through to you. Or maybe I didn't try hard enough. I don't know. The point is, I felt invisible and inaudible. Mark saw and heard me."

After that they concentrated on the food for a while.

Finally, Derek spoke again. "I'm sorry about being indifferent and absent."

"I'm not saying that it justifies cheating. I know nothing justifies that. I was just so desperate. I wanted you to see me, hear me and I couldn't think of any healthy way to go about it."

"Well, that's not exactly your fault. The Montgomery family have hardly pioneered healthy coping skills."

"That's very true."

"And now we're left with what, exactly?"

"Love and our marriage. You left but didn't send me divorce papers. I know I'm still in love with you. I think you're still in love with me. I know that can't be easy for you because I did hurt you so badly but I'm so sorry for that."

"I know. I believe you."

"So, is there a chance that we can work this out?"

"There must be. I'm here, aren't I?"

"Yes, yes, you are."

Derek took a deep breath. "All right. So, we try." Then he quickly finished up his meal.

Addison could hardly dare to believe it. "You-you really mean that."

"Yes, I guess I do."

"Oh, Derek. This is all I've ever wanted."

"I know. It's why you came out here in the first place."

I'd follow you to hell and back."

Derek laughed. "Haven't you already?"

Addison laughed and finished her food too. "True. Seattle sucks. But you're worth everything."

"As are you."

"So, does this mean that we're reconciled? That we're going to try again."

"I would say that that is exactly what it does mean."

"Oh, Derek! I love you so much."

"I love you too, Addie." They both started at that.

"I didn't expect you to say that."

"Really. I thought you knew all this time that I did."

"No, I hoped. There's a big difference."

"I guess there is at that."

Derek signaled for the check and paid. Addison rummaged around in her purse. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting money for my part of dinner."

"Oh, no you don't. Call me old fashioned but when I take a lady to dinner I expect to pay."

"Fine. Can I at least cover the tip?"

"Oh, all right."

They then left the restaurant and walked around downtown Seattle for a while.

"Addie, we do have other things to discuss."

"I know Derek."

'It's not like all our issues are going to be fixed with one conversation."

"I know that too. But at least now I feel like we have a future to work towards."

"It's going to be a hell of a lot of work."

"But we're both willing to put in the work. I am. Aren't you?"

"Yes. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

"I know and I'm so glad you are."

They stopped and sat on a bench.

"Derek would you be willing to give marriage counseling a try?"

"As long as it's not with Kathleen, then sure."

Addison laughed. "She's not a marriage counselor."

"No, but she's in a related field."

"All right. No Kathleen."

"Thank you."

"I feel like we have a future, Derek. One that's going to take a lot of work from both of us but as long as we're both willing to do the work we have a chance. I know I'm willing to do the work."

"As am I."

"Then from here we can only go up. Up and anywhere."

The End.

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Anyone who has read my other stories knows my thing is sending them back to New York. But I decided to leave it up to my readers. If you're like me, you'll send them back there. But if you want them to stay in Seattle, that's fine too. Hell, those who have seen Private Practice can even send them to L.A. It feels right for this story to let each reader decide where they go from here. The main thing is they are back together. So, please let me know what you think about the story. Feedback is what I live for.


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